Checking the state of the property before purchasing the home or building, comparing budgets, and knowing the energy label are some of the steps that most people know, but we will go much further and explain step by step everything that needs to be done. Take into account before beginning the purchase of a home for its subsequent rehabilitation or reform. Contrary to the price of new construction, the rehabilitation price can fluctuate greatly, so we will explain why the price of rehabilitation work can range between 500 and 1,800 euros per square meter.
We will see below all the reasons and the best process to follow.
INDEX
Introduction
Home sales trend in Spain
Is it possible to request a mortgage to buy and reform at the same time?
Steps to follow if we need to buy the property.
How does the 2022 housing rehabilitation plan work?
What grants are available?
What is the 2022 Housing Rehabilitation Plan
Who can apply for the 2022 Housing Rehabilitation Plan
What types of homes may be eligible?
How to apply for a grant?
The first is the first. Reform or rehabilitation?
Carrying out the rehabilitation project
What is the most expensive part of rehabilitating?
Know how energy efficient your home is
How much does it cost to reform a house?
What are the most demanded reforms?
Evolution of the Reform sector
Prices for reform work
Possible work phases of a rehabilitation job
Introduction
Checking the state of the property before purchasing the home or building, comparing budgets, and knowing the energy label are some of the steps that most people know, but we will go much further and explain step by step everything that needs to be done. Take into account before beginning the purchase of a home for its subsequent rehabilitation or reform. Contrary to the price of new construction, the rehabilitation price can fluctuate greatly, so we will explain why the price of rehabilitation work can range between 500 and 1,800 euros per square meter.
We will see below all the reasons and the best process to follow.
Home sales trend in Spain
Specifically, it has estimated the number of home sales in Spain at 480,000 in 2023 and the volume at just over 500,000 by 2024. For this year, the forecast is that the volume of transactions will fall by close to 26% (in 2022 649,494 units were registered in the registries, according to the INE), although it will remain above the historical average (450,000 units).
In the case of second-hand homes, the acquisition usually also entails a reform. Experts estimate the disbursement for carrying out works between 500 and 1,500 euros per square meter, although the final price will depend on the materials used and the scope of the rehabilitation. In addition, the older the property, the more money you have to spend on repairs. And, currently, half of the number of buildings for residential use dates back to before 1980, a circumstance that buyers must take into account when they consider acquiring this type of property, adding to the costs of the acquisition of the necessary reform.
Is it possible to request a mortgage to buy and reform at the same time?
The maximum amount that some bank mortgage entities usually grant is around 80% of the appraised value of the property, although it is common to get a mortgage to pay for both the purchase of the home and the rehabilitation.
Obtaining the necessary financing to carry out the work in the mortgage loan has some advantages, such as the best conditions, especially when compared to a personal loan, since this type of mortgage facilitates the financing process for the purchase and reform in a single credit.
Steps to follow if we need to buy the property.
Well, now that we know that valuable help can be obtained to carry out the rehabilitation, now we may have to face the process of acquiring a home or apartment if we do not own one.
Before acquiring the house or building to reform or rehabilitate it is extremely important to pay attention to the structure and the water, gas and electricity installations and check that they are in good condition, here getting a professional to carry out a previous report on the property in issue can be cheap for you as a misjudgement at this level can be disastrous.
Although the buyer can do a review himself, looking for any cracks, moisture or any anomaly that may arouse suspicion. In this case, it is advisable to seek the advice of a construction professional considering the price of this investment. Hiring an architect to issue a report and detail everything about the state of the house or apartment can be a well-paid investment.
At Pacheco & Asociados Architects, we charge between 550 euros and 1,500 euros depending on the size of the home or building depending on its size, for the preparation of a detailed survey on the existing conditions of the home, including the site visit.
It is not only important to analyse the state of the apartment or the house, but also to examine the conditions of the common infrastructures, especially the façade, the pipes, the lift, the heating system and the meters. Also, any subsequent work done by the community of the owner will cause an increase in the price of the monthly fee and, therefore, will mean an unexpected expense.
We recommend knowing if the building has been subject to the technical building inspection (ITE) recently or if it should do so in the coming years. This is a technical control to which buildings over 45 years old must be subjected and which can be consulted at the Town Hall.
What grants are available?
European grant for housing rehabilitation
The European Union has approved a grant package worth no less than 5,520 million euros that will be allocated to the rehabilitation of homes and buildings to promote social rental, within the European Next Generation Fund. These European grants have been transformed into the Spanish Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan (PRTR), which will prioritize reforms that improve the energy efficiency of buildings.
The age of the building stock in Spain means that 40% of the total energy consumption goes to housing. Therefore, grants can be requested for those actions to improve or rehabilitate buildings for predominantly residential use, which provide a considerable reduction in the consumption of non-renewable energy, or an improvement in the energy rating of the building.
The Housing Rehabilitation Program for the Economic and Social Recovery in Residential Environments has a line of the grant of 450 million euros that will pay for deductions in Personal Income Tax (IRPF) for private owners who promote the energy efficiency of their homes by changing windows or the boiler, among other actions.
To obtain these grants, whose calls have not yet been opened, a series of requirements established by each autonomous community must be met, such as the age of the building, the percentage of residential use and whether it is the habitual residence.
What is the Spanish 2022 Housing Rehabilitation Plan
Spain has some commitments with the European Community in relation to efficiency and emissions, otherwise, it wants to be left out of the energy transformation, lose the ability to attract grants and be attractive to appetizing green investments.
The objectives that have been set with consumption must be highlighted the following:
Reduce non-renewable energy consumption by at least 30%
Decarbonize and lower the demand for heating and cooling by at least 7%
The primary responsibility rests with the State, however, it is articulated and executed by the Autonomous Communities. This means that to request the Housing Rehabilitation Plan you have to go to the corresponding website of your respective autonomous community to know the procedures.
How does the 2022 housing rehabilitation plan work?
According to the Ministry of Transport, Spain needs to carry out at least 510,000 energy rehabilitation works before 2026 to comply with the European Directive.
Other experts estimate that this figure can skyrocket to no less than 9 million homes.
But what's wrong with my old house?
Well, if we think about energy consumption, the lack of good insulation is a real drain on expenses for the homeowner and for the country.
Context of the Housing Rehabilitation Plan 2022
Spain is the country with the oldest housing stock in Europe. The average of homes we have is 45 years old. This means that, as the IDAE points out, 87% of the majority of homes have a fairly low energy efficiency certificate, they are usually between the letter E to G. The lowest ratings that can be had. The range that exists in the certificates goes from the letter A to the letter G.
This means that these homes consume between 15% and 75% more energy for heating or cooling and that they emit between 10% and 35% more CO2 into the atmosphere. This means that these homes spend an average of 600 euros more per year on cooling or heating the home.
The solution would be to rehabilitate the house, but the problem is that most owners do not have the necessary resources to carry it out. For that, the Government has released this new Spanish State Plan for Housing and Rehabilitation.
This project is part of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan and is endowed with 3,400 million euros allocated entirely to the rehabilitation of homes. It is neither more nor less than 50% of the game of the Next Generation in rehabilitation.
Do you want to know if you can sign up for it? How much would you get? What requirements to meet? Well, keep reading because here we will tell you everything about the Housing Rehabilitation Plan in 2022.
How much money does each autonomous community distribute?
In order to achieve an equitable distribution, the 3,420 million euros of the plan are distributed by the Autonomous Communities based on the number of homes registered in the official cadastres. In addition, the funds are distributed gradually: 1,151 million in 2021, 1,389 million in 2022 and 430 million in 2023.
Distribution of grants from the various Autonomous Communities
|
AUTONOMOUS COMMUNITIES |
CAPITAL (%) |
Nº OF INTERVENTIONS |
|
Andalucía |
17,37% |
27.792 |
|
Aragón |
2,90% |
4635 |
|
Asturias |
2,40% |
3886 |
|
Baleares |
2,50% |
3938 |
|
Canarias |
4,60% |
7346 |
|
Cantabria |
1,30% |
2074 |
|
Castilla y León |
5,40% |
8706 |
|
Castilla-La Mancha |
4,20% |
6739 |
|
Cataluña |
16,20% |
25.861 |
|
Comunidad Valenciana |
10,80% |
17.314 |
|
Extremadura |
2,30% |
3688 |
|
Galicia |
5,80% |
9352 |
|
Madrid |
14% |
24.411 |
|
Murcia |
2,90% |
4702 |
|
Navarra |
1,40% |
2208 |
|
País Vasco |
4,90% |
7773 |
|
La Rioja |
0,70% |
1117 |
|
Ceuta |
0,10% |
233 |
|
Melilla |
0,10% |
225 |
Regardless of the fact that in each territory there are also criteria according to the type of final destination of the money. We are interested in everything that ends up in the housing brackets, although it is relevant to also know the other cases if you are working with buildings that are not residential.
• Building: 1,994 million euros for comprehensive rehabilitation, of which 1,716 million go to energy improvements in homes.
• Neighbourhoods: 976 million euros for urban improvement designed to save at least 30% of energy consumption.
• Housing: 450 million euros to owners who can benefit from personal income tax deductions.
• Guarantees: The remaining 1.1 billion are reserved for guarantees that the communities of owners most in need can use to finance rehabilitation projects.
In any case, if you wish to have more details about this grant, the legal text that you should refer to is the Royal Decree-Law (RDL) on urgent measures to promote building rehabilitation activity.
Who can apply for the 2022 Housing Rehabilitation Plan
The main thing you need to know is that there is no limit related to income, as there is with most grants. They can apply for grants on behalf of owners, usufructuaries and home tenants. Come on, all those who are beneficiaries of a home, whether owned or not.
The only requirement is that only actions that are carried out in usual and permanent addresses are suitable. This can be accredited with a registration certificate.
What types of homes may be eligible?
• Single-family homes: built before 1996, as a habitual and permanent residence, with the support of the technical improvement report prior to the request.
• Flats: built before 1996, with at least 70% of the surface dedicated to residential. Half or more of the accepted homes must be habitual residences with the corresponding technical report.
Amount received.
The Housing Rehabilitation Plan covers 40% of the cost of the action with a maximum of 3,000 euros per house. The minimum that the intervention is allowed to be is 1,000 euros, also per home.
Once the grant has been obtained, you will have a maximum period of 12 months to complete the work, starting from the date it was granted. All subsidized work must be completed by June 30, 2026.
It is important to know that the grant can be made compatible with any other rehabilitation program; one of the neighbourhoods or one of integral rehabilitation of buildings, for example. As long as it is shown that the amount is not covering more than the same cost of the work.
If you have a rehabilitation agent or architect, he or she can be in charge of doing the work at home and managing all the paperwork for the grant. This frees you from a large bureaucratic burden and saves you a lot of time.
In the same way, the subsidy of 100% of the previous technical document is contemplated to analyse the energy needs of the home, and a series of deductions in the IRPF for the individual owner himself:
• 20% deduction: Reducing the demand for air conditioning by 7%.
• 40% deduction: Reducing the demand for air conditioning by 30% or obtaining a class A or B energy certificate.
• 60% deduction: For neighbouring communities and reducing non-renewable energy consumption by at least 30%, or achieving an A or B certificate.
The justification is that the work was carried out as requested.
This is demonstrated by delivering to the Instructing body within a maximum period of 3 months from the completion of the work a Justifying Action Report regarding compliance with the imposed conditions, including the activities, carried out and the objectives achieved.
The document must be prepared and signed by a registered architect. Your certificate will reflect the completion date of the intervention. As for the energy efficiency certificate, it will suffice to issue the new certificate with the new letter demonstrating the improvement that has been achieved.
Possible problems with the Housing Rehabilitation Plan
There are several issues to take into account before launching to manage the help of the Housing Rehabilitation Plan. To begin with, you need the building license from the town hall before starting the work on the house.
Another important aspect is that the money is delivered AFTER finishing the work. In other words, you must have sufficient financing to undertake the entire work before receiving a euro and then requesting the grant.
What happens if you do not have the necessary financial resources?
For these cases, we have a loan plan that covers 100% of the capital necessary for the works with a maximum repayment term of 10 years. But with interests that will have to be investigated since they are not at 0% interest.
How to apply for the grant?
That depends on each of the autonomous communities since each one is in charge of distributing the funds and inspecting compliance with the conditions.
Is it worth asking for a grant?
Like any process that has to do with the Spanish administration, it can be overwhelming and you have a lot of red tape paperwork, but personally, I think it's worth it, not just because of the savings in energy consumption, but because renovating a house is expensive, very expensive:
Therefore, any help is always welcome and the subsidies can be the catalyst that allows the realization of this rehabilitation work.
First thing first. Reform or rehabilitation?
How is a reform different from rehabilitation?
Reform and rehabilitation are often misused. And it is that in the professional jargon itself, they have been given a meaning that does not conform to what they actually have.
The same more experienced professionals and some architects also find it somewhat difficult to make a precise distinction between the two words. It is completely understandable; therefore, it is normal to hear expressions in our day-to-day where the two concepts are used without distinction to explain the same thing.
So that we have clear ideas, we understand by rehabilitation works those whose objective is the integral reform of the house or building and that can cover, if not all, at least several of the following concepts:
A structural change, renovation of the installation and a new layout of the internal spaces. So, with comprehensive rehabilitation, we refer to a work that aims to substantially change the home or building in question.
Reform
The reform, however, refers to works such as the reform of a bathroom, a kitchen or the decoration of rooms. On the other hand, when we talk about "rehabilitate" we are talking about works of greater importance that affect almost the entire property.
In any case, whether it is reform or rehabilitation, the important thing is to carry it out without surprises, so determining all the work items in advance is the best way to proceed and hiring an architect is perhaps the best option since He will only provide us with innovative ideas, but he will ensure that everything is included in the work before hiring it.
Carrying out the rehabilitation project
Well, assuming that you already have a flat or home, one of the most important decisions is to hire an architect. If you decide to opt for that solution, this is the process that the architect should follow.
The project itself begins after carrying out a preliminary study on the state of the house or building and detecting all structural anomalies and deficiencies if any. This review must be carried out by a registered architect and if possible with experience. The rehabilitation projects that are carried out can be divided into two phases that must include all the information and actions that are going to be needed for the rehabilitation.
The first phase of the project
The first phase or "basic project" consists of collecting all the characteristics of the existing building or house and adding the proposed work, preparing a project with all that information. These would be the documents that would be included.
A descriptive and qualifying report, which includes the identification data of the participants and the actions to be carried out.
Construction report on the characteristics of the land or building where the work is carried out.
Compliance with the Spanish Technical Building Code, where it is contemplated and guarantees protection against humidity, safety in case of fire, etc.
Plans, where the house is to be rehabilitated are shown in its existing state and its proposed state and includes plans of the floors, elevations and sections.
It also includes an estimate of the budget.
With this phase, the corresponding building license can be requested while the next phase, which is the execution project, is finalized.
The second phase of the project
The next phase or "Detailed Project" is where the project is established in great detail. In other words, that document has all the information necessary for a contractor to be able to build it.
This part of the project contains the following documentation:
The construction report, where all the details of the foundation are collected (if it were necessary to modify it), installations and equipment, conditioning and finishes.
All the provisions of the Technical Building Code must be complied with, taking into account structural safety, health, noise, energy saving, etc. Here you have to add compliance with other regulations of the autonomous community and municipalities that are in force.
Plans and measurements (the measurements are the document where the entire work is specified and quantified). This document is the one that the contractor uses together with the plans to pass his budget
Specifications: it is a contract proposal between the parties where the fees, deadlines, conditions and others are included.
The definitive and detailed budget on the expenses that the complete development of the work will entail. Although this must be verified and budgeted by the contractor who is actually going to carry out the work.
And basically, this is what a rehabilitation project for a home or building consists of. At Pacheco Arquitectos, we have more than 25 years of experience when it comes to carrying out this type of project and we offer the most avant-garde techniques to be able to visualize the finished reform on the screen and see exactly how the work will look before laying brick and with our database of prices for materials and labour from all the provinces of Spain we can advance a budget advance based on the basic project so we can ensure that the approved design is within the budget that we have previously obtained from our clients.
What is the most expensive part of rehabilitating?
Regardless of whether you have hired an architect, before making the decision to contract out the work, the first thing to do is obtain quotes from various contractors and compare prices. We recommend requesting at least three budgets for the work from different companies. And it should be clear that the cheapest is not always the best. It should be noted that, in the budget, in addition to including the breakdown of expenses, both materials and labour, the relevant taxes must be included to know the real cost. If a project is not available, you should compare the budgets received and it is especially important to make sure that the prices are based on the same work and materials, that is, that the contractors have budgeted for the same work. Since each contractor may have specified different finishing materials etc.
We also propose that the work contract reflect at least the start and end dates, the description of the work and surfaces, the materials with their qualities (including the brand and model, if they have already been decided) and the Obligations, such as the repair of possible damages, in addition to the guarantee period and where to go in case of a dispute.
Most contractors usually ask for between 25% to 50% of the contract budget at the beginning, depending on the size of the work as a down payment. If required, make this payment in advance. As progress is made, other deliveries can be made and the rest completed at the end of the reform or rehabilitation. Although the terms can be negotiated. Due to the large increases in the price of aluminium, steel and glass, the client is being asked to advance the purchase price of these materials at the beginning of the work, which approximately represents 50% of the contract cost of these elements.
It should be clear that in the case of a comprehensive reform that affects the structural elements of the house or the facades being modified, the work of an architect is necessary. In addition, in this case, it is necessary to have his intervention during the process. Minor work can only be supervised by a site manager.
The duration obviously depends on the size of the work, but, in the case of a comprehensive work, it is usually around six months, although it can be longer depending on the complexity of the reform.
Know how energy efficient your home is
The energy EPC or Energy Performance Certificate is an official document that not only provides us with information about the energy that a home or building needs to heat or cool the aforementioned home but also that information can be extrapolated to the general condition of the home. That is why we recommend requesting the EPC of the home, a document that real estate agencies must offer, but that not all second-hand houses have. Energy efficiency is one of the tasks that Spanish properties have pending. The certificate obtained ranges from the letter "A" to the letter "G" depending on the energy consumption, "A" being the most efficient. 84.5% of the buildings in Spain have E, F or G labels, and only 0.3% have the A, which corresponds to maximum efficiency. The objective of the reform should be to achieve a superior label, at least B or C. For this, we recommend that you review the window and door enclosures, and the heating and lighting system, among other aspects.
To obtain the energy certificate, it is necessary for a qualified technician (such as a director of construction works execution or an energy efficiency technician) to measure the energy consumption of the home and evaluate the state of the electrical installations. This report must be submitted to the Autonomous Administration to obtain the home label and can be required from the seller before the purchase.
How much does it cost to reform a house?
The million-dollar question. The cost of the reform depends, above all, on two factors: the number of square meters and the qualities chosen for the materials. At Pacheco & Asociados Architects, the price range that we handle, for a comprehensive renovation of a flat, ranges between 500 euros and 1,200 euros per square meter, depending very much on the type of facilities and the amount of insulation that must be installed in the home. This would raise the price of renovating a house of about 100 square meters to between 50,000 euros and 120,000 euros, which could include, depending on the case, kitchen, bathrooms, floors, masonry, painting, electrical installation, air conditioning, underfloor heating and licenses.
Kitchen and bathrooms
In the vast majority of home reforms, the most demanded are kitchen and bathroom reforms, because they are the most necessary rooms when moving into, and therefore more urgent, as well as being the reforms that take the longest. Although in comprehensive renovations the order of work is first the demolitions of partitions, floors, etc. followed by the erection of new ones that will give shape to the new rethinking of the house.
Then we will proceed to the installation of the plumbing systems, electrical network, Wi-Fi, etc. It is at this moment that it is convenient to review, if necessary, the contracted power. An electrician or the company in charge of the work itself can manage it. Afterwards, only the finishes on partitions, floors and ceilings remain the carpentry works and finally the painting and decoration.
The works must be communicated to the community of neighbours, from whom you only have to ask for permission when you want to alter a common element, such as adding an enclosure to the terrace, opening a new hole to the patio, etc. However, it will always be necessary to request a minor or major work license from the Municipal Administration, depending on the magnitude of the reform.
Kitchen
A new kitchen is the most demanded room in the reforms. Our kitchens, about 10 square meters, are usually around 10,000 euros, that is, about 1,000 euros per square meter. Normally we are talking about state-of-the-art kitchens.
To give you an idea, changing the countertops can cost around 1,500 euros; removing the furniture and replacing it with one of average quality, together with the demolition and debris removal work, would entail around 4,000 euros; The change of the main electrical appliances is usually around 2,500 euros. Currently, the trend of opening the kitchen to the living room is also growing, a performance that adds between 4,000 and 5,000 euros to the budget.
Bathrooms
The reform of a bathroom has a similar cost higher than the kitchen. A room of six square meters can reach 12,000 euros including the installation of hot water and sanitation, that is, 2,000 euros per square meter.
Also here it should be noted that we are talking about modern bathrooms with the latest finishes. The most common changes are replacing the bathtub with a shower tray, which entails between 1,500 and 2,000 euros; renovating the flooring and wall coverings, which costs €2,000; and replacing the sink and toilet with medium-quality ones, which, together with the demolition and removal work, adds about €3,500 to the bill.
The waiting list for reforms
Another aspect that should be assessed is the waiting time to start the work. At present, there has been a boom in the field of reforms that have caused a lack of labour and an increase in the prices of materials, which has, as a consequence, an extension of the waiting lists for contractors and a substantial price rise in aluminium, glass and steel.
What are the most demanded reforms?
We Spaniards have always spent a great deal of our time on the streets. But as a result of the pandemic, the relationship we had with our homes has changed substantially. Obtaining private outdoor spaces, renovation and the creation of spaces to be able to telework at home are some of the most popular requests.
As we all know during the months of strict confinement, between March and May 2020, leaving home was only justified for essential workers or for reasons of force majeure (such as going to the supermarket or pharmacy). This circumstance forced citizens to spend more time than ever in their homes, and realize the importance of home spaces that is maintained today with the implementation of teleworking in many branches of activity.
If there has been a sector that has profited from this situation, it has been DIY, whose sales grew by 12.4% after the end of the state of alarm in May, compared to the previous year. This figure reached 18.7% year-on-year between October and December, as shared by the Association of Manufacturers and Distributors (AECOC).
Homes have gone from being, for many, a place to sleep and spend time on weekends, to become the place where they spend most of the day. This change in functionality has translated into a desire to reform the spaces to create more open rooms that, as far as possible, are conditioned for working.
Evolution of the Reform sector
We attach here some of the conclusions of the quarterly report on the Reform sector (April-August 2022) prepared by the company Habitissimo.
The second quarter of the year closed with 1,346,683 employed in the construction sector. We observe that during these months construction continues its upward trend, only registering a slight drop in affiliates in August, typical of the summer season.
• The most requested interventions in Spanish homes during this period are painting, comprehensive home reform and the installation of photovoltaic solar panels for domestic electricity supply.
• Highlighting the work to improve the energy efficiency of homes already represents 35% of the requests registered in Habitissimo.
• The great demand for the installation of air conditioning that has been registered due to the high summer temperatures is particularly important.
• 61% of professionals consider that they offer their services through their own website.
The reforms that Spaniards demand the most are the reconditioning of the home focused on teleworking and enjoying open spaces in the home
These data reflect the type of reforms that Spaniards demand the most, such as reconditioning the home focused on teleworking and the possibility of enjoying open spaces in the home. This is reflected by the National Association of Distributors of Ceramics and Construction Materials (Andimac), which points out that six out of 10 Spanish households want to make reforms, which places the country 10 points above the European average.
Architecture, design and reform studios and the DIY sector agree that the most sought-after reforms after the strict confinement of 2020 were: opening the kitchen to the living room, what is known as "open plan" kitchens; the search for or expansion of outdoor spaces, such as terraces or balconies; the incorporation of mobile panels and sliding doors that separate the rooms when necessary to gain privacy, but without giving up the feeling of openness; the improvement of thermal and acoustic insulation, betting on sustainability and an adequate temperature in the home, with the added savings that this entails on the energy bill; and space for teleworking that has a light, is quiet and is separated from the rest of the home so as not to turn the entire house into an office space.What are the most demanded reforms?
We Spaniards have always spent a great deal of our time on the streets. But as a result of the pandemic, the relationship we had with our homes has changed substantially. Obtaining private outdoor spaces, renovation and the creation of spaces to be able to telework at home are some of the most popular requests.
As we all know during the months of strict confinement, between March and May 2020, leaving home was only justified for essential workers or for reasons of force majeure (such as going to the supermarket or pharmacy). This circumstance forced citizens to spend more time than ever in their homes, and realize the importance of home spaces that is maintained today with the implementation of teleworking in many branches of activity.
If there has been a sector that has profited from this situation, it has been DIY, whose sales grew by 12.4% after the end of the state of alarm in May, compared to the previous year. This figure reached 18.7% year-on-year between October and December, as shared by the Association of Manufacturers and Distributors (AECOC).
Homes have gone from being, for many, a place to sleep and spend time on weekends, to become the place where they spend most of the day. This change in functionality has translated into a desire to reform the spaces to create more open rooms that, as far as possible, are conditioned for working.
Repairing a façade
The building shell, together with the roof, tends to suffer more from inclement weather, humidity, temperature changes, and the incidence of the sun and pollution are very aggressive factors for those more exposed finishes.
The most common works in its rehabilitation range from a coat of paint to a new rendering, repair of cracks and humidity or reinforcement of elements such as cornices that may present insecurity of collapse.
The cost can range between €20/m² and €120/m², depending on the degree of deterioration and the work that needs to be done. Rendering with cement costs around €35/m². Restoring the façade of a single-family home would cost, on average, around €3,000.
Repairing the roof and roof terrace
These are also elements that are highly exposed to external agents that can deteriorate very quickly if proper maintenance is not carried out. In general, the works that are carried out within a rehabilitation go through waterproofing, repair of leaks and humidity and placement of new tiles. In cases of great deterioration, the specific action on some elements of the structure may be necessary.
Renovating the roof of a 100 m² single-family home will involve an investment of approximately €6,500. It involves the laying of asphalt fabric costs around €6/m² while demolishing the existing tiles and laying new ones can cost approximately €80/m², although it will depend to a large extent on the type of tile.
The Alicante or slate tile is almost half of the barrel tile.
Repairing Foundations
An insufficient foundation that presents subsidence or that shows signs of being damaged by ground movement endangers the stability of any building. For this reason, the investigation and structural solutions of this element should be the first step in the case of comprehensive rehabilitation. The solution to foundation subsidence can be the injection of mortar under pressure, the introduction of reinforced piles to support the footings, or/and their substitution and replacement.
A reinforced concrete reinforcement by underpinning below the existing foundation costs around €175/m³. The underpinning of the footing with injections of expansive cement to consolidate the ground can cost around €900/m2.
Specific reinforcement of structural elements
First, any structural problems with the home or building should be identified. such as the use of poor-quality materials, overloads, or cracks caused by ground movements. The solution will sometimes have to be based on a complete calculation of the structure and identify the elements that do not comply with the existing regulations by reinforcing said elements or correcting the imbalances in the loads or placing reinforcements in the form of beams or pillars. Other times they can be the filling of cracks and painting.
Replacing one or more beams in a home can cost between €3,500 and €10,000, depending on the scope of the work. Strengthening a reinforced concrete slab by means of a steel grill and a compression layer can be around €175/m2.
Introduction of thermal insulation
Today this is one of the most necessary actions to save energy and I would place it as perhaps the most important factor in rehabilitation due to the cost of energy. The insulation can be placed inside the house by means of a lining of rock wool or other insulating material and plasterboard that is sold all in one, that is, rock wool (insulation) and drylining partitions (finishing panel) its cost can be around €50 per m2. Another way to carry out the insulation would be to insulate the house from the outside using the External Thermal Insulation System commonly known in Spain as (SATE), through which insulating materials are attached to the wall. Its price is around €85/m².
Another more expensive option is the ventilated facade. This system is used when you want to externally tile the façade of the house with wooden boards or ceramic tiles, etc. This system introduces an air chamber between the insulation and the lining that acts as a regulator. Its price is around €135 to €250 per m², depending on the finishing material chosen.
Changing of installations
With the new CTE Building Technical Code, facilities must comply with new standards, mainly with regard to energy saving. The requirements that all devices that produce cold or heat must meet are higher than what was required a few years ago. And both the plumbing and the electricity have been significantly modified and adapting to them is part of any home renovation project. This is the case, for example, of the replacement of old lead pipes, which have been prohibited for some years due to the damage they can cause to health.
Obviously, the cost of these facilities will depend on their quality and to a large extent on the dimensions of the home. Approximately, the reform of the plumbing and electrical installation of a 100 m² house can cost around €9,000.
Improved accessibility for the disable
Mostly the most demand in this field is the expansion of the width of passageways inside the houses, especially the access to the bathrooms to allow a wheelchair and to be able to move around inside the bathroom. Inside the bathrooms, other improvements must be made, such as the installation of walk-in showers or the installation of adapted sanitary ware. Along with the construction of access ramps to enable access to buildings and homes that facilitate the transit of people with reduced mobility or in wheelchairs. There is a very detailed accessibility regulation that varies between the different autonomous communities of Spain in terms of dimensions of access and layout of toilets in bathrooms etc. When access cannot be achieved due to a change in level, it is possible to opt for the installation of chairs or stair lift platforms.
Building a new work ramp for a home can cost around 3,000 euros. Replacing a bathtub with a shower tray, approximately 800 euros.
Possible work phases of a rehabilitation job
Before starting the work, the contractor must provide what in the trade is called "Work Planning". It is important to remember that for this the work must be completely defined in advance since possible changes during the work can lead to a possible extra cost. So that nothing goes wrong in the construction process of comprehensive rehabilitation, it is necessary to know what the specific needs of the project are and determine everything that must be done: the distribution of spaces, the facilities, the selection of materials, windows and doors. , equipment, style, colours, furniture, etc.
Once we have it well defined in the execution project, it is time to plan and manage all the work that has to be carried out during the work: possible demolition work, masonry, plumbing, electricity, cladding, painting, carpentry, etc This is the first task and perhaps one of the most important that the contractor or yourself if you are managing the work, the famous "Work Planning" to be able to visualize at a glance what is required to hire and when and in this way coordinate perfectly all materials and specialized labour for each area.
Since carrying out reform is a complex process, to prevent unforeseen events and budget deviations, the most appropriate thing is to go to a professional who will help you design the project and direct the work.
Next, we explain the main works and processes that are needed to carry out the rehabilitation or reform works.
Building license
This element is not really part of the work itself and must be obtained beforehand.
As everyone should know, to carry out reform or to rehabilitate any home, it is mandatory to process a license or building permit, which is the municipal authorities to carry out almost any type of construction. The type of work permit depends on the work that must be carried out in the reform and the requirements established in the Town Hall of the municipality where the work is to be carried out. The request for this permit usually generates many doubts, so it is advisable to hire an architect. To find out how to apply for a building permit and what types of licenses exist, we recommend you read the article "Building a house in Spain" on the Pacheco Arquitectos blog.
Initial home moving
Highly recommended and I would even say essential. If you want to avoid mishaps during work, take the furniture to a safe place. All kinds of beams, iron props and materials of all kinds are moved in and out of the property and it is normal for accidents to occur. It is worth making that small investment and taking the furniture to a furniture store. The process to take into account are: when the move should be made, what you want to reuse, disassemble, package, transfer, and store... and if you want to do it on your own or hire a company that suits your needs.
The demolition
This phase consists of totally or partially demolishing the partitions, flooring, dismantling the sanitary ware, doors, windows, inside the house and that are not going to be reused. To prevent unwanted landslides, it is important to follow at all times what is shown in the technical project and adopt reinforcement and shoring support measures. Debris derived from demolition must be collected in bags or containers for later transport to authorized landfills.
To prevent damage, inconvenience or harm to the environment or people around the contour of the work, it is important to apply preventive measures of the Health and Safety project that your technician on the work should have carried out. This project specifies in detail all the security measures that must be adopted during the course of the work.
Brickwork
This phase includes the placement of partitions, flooring, modification or repair of the structure, and aid to the trades such as the opening of clearings and placement of ducts to receive said installations of electricity, supply, air conditioning, etc. The placement of carpentry, plasterwork and placement of cladding and tiles.
Installations
In the previous stages, as has already been recorded, all the facilities planned for the house are prepared: water pipes, domestic hot water production system, heating, air conditioning, ventilation, gas pipes, electrical wiring, internet, (less and less) installation of a landline telephone. In all cases, you must have specially authorized installers for electricity and water supply, since they must provide us with the corresponding installer bulletins.
False ceilings and dry-linings
The jobs that are colloquially called plasterboard jobs can be found in two different phases. Within the coatings, the placement of the false ceiling with plasterboard plates that are mounted supported by a galvanized steel substructure hung from the floor with steel cables, and the subsequent plastering of the joints. This option is usually very useful when rehabilitating high spaces since it can be used to pass the new installations. It also offers other advantages such as hiding anomalies and damage to the slabs, it also allows you to install any type of recessed lighting, create different shapes or levels, and you can also add thermal insulation and led lighting strips that are so much in fashion lately.
And plasterboard plates can also be used to build partitions, lined instead of bricks. This work would be carried out in the masonry phase.
Metal and PVC carpentry
Corresponds to the supply and installation of all elements of exterior and interior windows and doors that are made of aluminium or PVC such as doors, windows, glass windows, balcony doors, railings, blinds, mosquito nets, fences, etc.
Wood carpentry and joinery
In this case, the supply and installation of wooden doors and windows, both interior and exterior, and any custom-made furniture such as kitchen furniture, built-in wardrobes, shelves, lacquered furniture, headboards, etc. corresponds. Work would also be included
s related to the restoration of any wooden surface such as parquet, wooden floors, etc.
Although the works related to the installation of the park, platforms, and wooden lining on ceilings and walls would be included in the covering and flooring phase.
Equipment
This could also include the kitchen, the supply and placement of any furniture, countertop, sink, electrical appliances, taps, etc. In the bathrooms, the installation of toilets, shower trays or bathtubs, screens, bathroom furniture, taps...
Painting
Any painter will tell you that the preparation of walls, covering and smoothing all the irregularities present in the surfaces to be painted, takes more time and resources than painting. For the application of the paint, all the spaces must be covered so as not to stain and normally a minimum of two coats of paint are applied, a base coat and the finishing coat. On some poorly dug surfaces, it sometimes takes three or more coats to look like the job is professionally finished.
Cleaning
And finally, the final cleaning of the work. Note that this last service is often not offered to the customer and it is a pity because sometimes a job well done is not appreciated because only a trick is given with a mop and little else. And of course, after the reform, the spaces and corners are full of dust, stains and traces of cement or paint, etc. Therefore, it is necessary for a professional team to carry out a thorough cleaning of machinery and special products.
Final home move
And back home with the furniture. Once the cleaning is done, you can bring back all the things that had been previously stored in the furniture storage room and all that remains is to place them in their corresponding place.
I hope this extensive guide has been useful to you. If you need any clarification, do not hesitate to contact Pacheco & Asociados Architects in Murcia and Alicante
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